Something is eating my mind
by DrippingPen
Summary: "She was running.  ...  She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, trying to ignore the cold and her pounding headache. The men chasing her was shouting, demanding for her to stop." A mad girl. Aliens in her mind. Torchwood is confused. ON HOLD
1. Run

**A/N: I apologize for the extremely short chapter. I promise the next one will be longer! And, should the Doctor turn up? There's a poll on my profile. **

**Disclaimer:** Honestly, you think I'd be writing fanfiction if I owned Torchwood?

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She was running. It was cold, dark, snow was in the air, ice was on the ground. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, trying to ignore the cold and her pounding headache. The men chasing her was shouting, demanding for her to stop.

She was nearing Roald Dahls Plass, and saw a tourist office.

_There. Hide there._

_No, no, I need to carry on, they'll find me in there, for certain._

_You cannot run anymore, and it is too cold out here. Hide. In there._

She tore up the door and hid behind the counter, holding a hand in front of her mouth to mute her shallow breath. Soon afterwards the door re-opened, and the two men chasing her entered.

"Come 'ere you little whore," the biggest, Daffyd, said. ʺNo use hidin', sweetheart.ʺ

"May I help you, sirs?" a voice that was definitly not Ethan's asked.

No one said a word. Lydia held her breath out of anxiety.

"No," Daffyd finally spat out. Lydia heard the door open and slam shut.

"You can come out now," the voice said, "they're gone."

She slowly stood up and looked at her saviour. He was wearing a suit, and wore a serious expression.

_Can we trust him?_

_Yes._

And she passed out.


	2. Safe

**A/N: I've only watched s. 1 + ep. 1 s. 2 of Torchwood, so I don't know too much of the interior of the Hub. Feel free to correct me! All reviews are welcome, flames as well, as long as they're constructive. Tell me if you're confused by anything.**

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"Did she tell you why they were chasing her?"

"No, Owen, she ran in, hid behind the counter and passed out once I told her it was safe."

"Poor girl, she must've been terrified."

"I wonder what her name is."

"Why don't you ask her. She's waking up."

Lydia groaned and put a hand to her head before opening her eyes. When she did, however, the first thing she saw was a hand holding a strong light, shining into her eyes. She swapped the hand away with an irritated sound.

"Give the girl some space, Owen," an american voice said, sounding amused. The man holding the light grunted and moved, giving Lydia room to look around. She was laying in a sofa, with a blanket wrapped around her. Five people, including the Light-Man and her saviour stood around her. The room they were in looked like a mixture of underground, office and prison-of-sorts. No windows, brick walls, desks with computers.

The man with the american voice, a handsome guy in old fashioned clothing, looked down at her smiling friendly.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" Lydia unwillingly shivered at the nickname, though no one seemed to notice. She nodded courtly as an answer.

"Can you tell us your name?" one of the women, the brown haired one with big eyes asked. She had a very strong accent.

"Lydia." When the others looked like they expected more, she simply said "just Lydia."

"Ok, Just Lydia, I'm Captain Jack Harkness. This is doctor Owen Harper, Gwen Cooper, Toshiko Sato and Ianto Jones. You are safe from those guys here."

_Am I?_

_We are underground. I do not think they can find us here._

_Where underground?_

_I do not know. You lost your consciousness._

"Where am I?" she asked out loud. "Under the Plass," Toshiko Sato answered from behind a computer. "Oh." Absent mindedly the girl clutched her head, trying to will the throbbing to stop.

"I'll get you some paracet for that," the doctor, Owen, said, dissapearing into another room.

* * *

"Who's that then, Tea Boy?"

Everyone in the Hub looked up at Ianto, only to see him carrying a girl of thirteen-fourteen in his arms. She had short redbrown hair, and looked quite frozen in the t-shirt and jeans, considering it was beneath zero celsius* outside.

"Oh my god!" Gwen with her ever caring person cried. She ran towards Ianto and looked down at the girl. "Where did you find her?"

"She was hiding from some men behind the counter upstairs. They didn't exacly look like her nearest family."

"She's passed out," the former cop pointed out, looking at Owen.

"Put her on the sofa, and I'll check her over," Owen sighed. Ianto did as so, and the doctor crouched down beside her.

"Some minor scratches here and there, otherwise she looks fine."

"Who's this, then?" their captain asked, coming down from his office to see what everyone was doing by the old sofa no one longer used.

"An excuse for you to not do the paperworks, among other things," Ianto stated. Jack grinned and turned to Gwen.

"Ianto found her hiding from some men," she answered. The captain crouched down. "That is not clothes you use outside now," he observed. "She probably ran away in a hurry."

"Kidnapping?" Tosh mused.

"Could be, except she doesn't look like a daughter of anyone rich."

"Did she tell you why they were chasing her?" Owen asked, turning to the tea boy.

"No, Owen, she ran in, hid behind the counter and passed out once I told her it was safe."

"Poor girl, she must've been terrified." Gwen was looking worried at the girl.

"I wonder what her name is."

"Why don't you ask her. She's waking up."

The girl groaned and put a hand to her head. Immediatly Owen was shining a light into her eyes, checking her pupils. She swapped his hand away with an irritated sound.

"Give the girl some space, Owen," Jack said, amused. Owen grunted but moved, giving her room to look around. She took in the Hub with grave eyes, her expression unreadable.

Jack looked down at her smiling friendly, that smile that made you want to trust him immedieatly. The girl didn't look like she was too impressed.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" She shivered at the nickname, though no one gave notice, assuming it was too cold for her. Soon she nodded courtly.

"Can you tell us your name?" Gwen asked.

"Lydia." They looked at her, expecting a surname, but she simply said "just Lydia."

"Ok, Just Lydia, I'm Captain Jack Harkness. This is doctor Owen Harper, Gwen Cooper, Toshiko Sato and Ianto Jones. You are safe from those guys who was chasing you here."

Lydia tilted her head, almost like she heard a sound. After a while of silence, she askedwhere she was.

"Under the Plass," Tosh answered from behind a computer, checking at the same time for any files on this girl.

"Oh." Absent mindedly the girl clutched her head, obviously suffering a headache.

"I'll get you some paracet for that," Owen, said, dissapearing into the medic bay.

* * *

* 0 Celsius = 32 Fahrenheit


	3. Lydia's story

It was evening. Outside it had been dark for a couple of hours. The girl Ianto had found in the tourist office was currently sleeping on the old battered sofa, again. She had slipped in and out of sleep since Owen gave her the paracet, not saying a word when she was awake. Tosh hadn't found anything on her in their database, only hundreds of people named Lydia.

The whole team were tired, having chased weevils all day. Jack told them to go home for the night, saying he'd be watching the girl.

She finally woke up again thirty minutes later. This time she looked rested enough to stay awake, too.

"Hello, sweetie," the captain said from a chair beside her. "How are you feeling?"

She looked reluctant to answer, but did after a while. "Better." Jack smiled and nodded.

"Good. You think you can tell me why those men were chasing you?" She bit her lip, and tilted her head again, just like she had earlier. _Like she's listening_, Jack thought. After a while of this she took a deep breath and began her story.

* * *

Lydia had been slipping in and out of sleep since that snide doctor gave her a paracet. She would've slept all the time, if it wasn't for the nightmares filling her head everytime she closed her eyes. She didn't show it, of course, life had taught her that. Don't show weakness. Or they'll get you.

The last time she opened her eyes the adults were gone. Only their captain had remained, sitting in a chair beside her. She winced when he had called her sweetie, but more out of habit than anything else. It was somehow okay when this Jack Harkness said it.

"You think you can tell me why those men were chasing you?" he asked.

She hesitated, and bit her lip.

_Should I tell him?_

_Do what you think is best._

_But he'll think I'm gross. For certain._

_You cannot know that, can you?_

_I can tell him a little. Maybe he'll help me._

_That might be. Do not lie, but do not tell the whole truth._

Lydia took a deep breath and began.

"I'm born in Norway. I grew up there, in Oslo. It was great. I love the city, and everything in it. I lived with my mum and big sister. Dad died in an accident when I was a baby.

When I was ten, people began approaching me. People I din't know, scary people. They wanted to show me things, to take me away. I always ran away from them. I don't think that was a good idea. I think they got... angry. No, dissapointed. Two years ago, I was twelve, someone managed to take me away."

"The same people?" the captain asked. She shook her head.

"No, I don't think so. I was on my way home from a friend who lived just outside the town, and a man grabbed me from behind, muffled my screams. He knocked me out. When I woke up again, I was in a room aboard a ship heading for England. Others were there too. Mostly girls around my age. They all looked scared, and refused to talk to me. When we reached port, the men let us out, telling us we had to act like normal tourists. We were to scared to protest."

She had to take a little pause, trying to will away bad memories. A hand grabbed hers. She considered swatting it away, but decided it felt good to have some comfort.

"It turned out they were going to sell us. To brothels, pimps, whoever wanted to buy us. I got bought by a rich pimp. He told me I was a true beauty. He'd make good money of me, and in return I'd get food and a roof over my head."

"Did he?"

"Yes. I became his jewel. He gave me bodyguards. Ethan and Daffyd. They were also there to make sure I didn't do anything stupid. Like running away."

"You did, though." She nodded. "My two bodyguards did such a splendid job that Michelangelo, the pimp, gave them special privilege. To me."

The last was said in such a neutral tone, and the fourteen-year-old girl had such a distant look Jack couldn't do anything else than hug her. Lydia was surprised, not used to affectionate contact without a sexual meaning. She stiffened, but relaxed after a while. Though she didn't hug back.

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**A/N:** I know several are wondering about the voice in Lydia's head, whether it's real or not and so forth. I'm not telling! C: Sorry, but I promise, you'll soon find out!

PS: I don't have a beta, so feel free to point out any mistakes.


	4. Coffee

**A special shout-out and thanks to specialfrancine for hers/his comments throughout this story. A virtual cookie and hug for you!**

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Ianto Jones was, as usual, the first to come in. He greeted his captain good morning, before going to where the coffeemachine was, preparing some of his golden liquid to himself and his co-workers. He was surprised to see the girl he'd found yesterday by the machine.

"Good morning," he said, smirking a little at her jump.

"Morning," she muttered, as if she wasn't used to the common greeting rituals.

"Would you care for some coffee, miss Lydia?" She hesitated, but nodded. He quickly made her a cup of latte, offering it to the girl. She took it, and sipped. At once she put it down, sticking her tongue out.

"Hot," she said, almost apolegetic. Ianto chuckled, making Lydia, to his joy, smile a small but genuin smile.

* * *

When Jack answered 'come in' to whoever (Ianto, he knew) knocked on his door, he didn't expect both Lydia and Ianto. He smiled at them, and raised an eyebrow at the cup Lydia was holding in her hand.

"It's coffee," she explained. "Mr. Ianto made me a cup."

"It's good, isn't it?" he asked. She nodded and smiled. "I hope whatever's in your hands is coffee as well, Ianto, 'cause I really need it."

"I thought as much, sir. Here you go."

"Thank you, Yan," the captain said, accepting the cup. They both turned to leave, but halted when the captain spoke again. "Could you stay for a minute, Ianto? I need to speak with you."

"Well of course, sir. But the others will be coming soon, and they too need their coffee."

"Lydia can give it to them. Is that okay, Lydia?" She nodded, turned and walked out. The two remaining wtached her collecting the cups Ianto had prepared on a tray, before the archivist turned to his captain.

"Yes, sir?"

Jack shook his head, as if collecting himself, before he spoke. "The girl is not well, Yan. She... she was a prostitute. Against her own will. She's broken." Ianto was silent for a while, processing the information.

"Well... We can't keep her here, at Torchwood. It's too dangerous for a girl at her age. We should hand her to people who deals with this sort of stuff. She probably has a family?"

He nodded, "A mother and a sister. And you're right, we're Torchwood. We deal with aliens, not broken children. But I get the feeling there's something more to her."

Ianto, who had sat down by this time, raised his eyebrows. "How so, sir?"

"Have you noticed how she keeps tilting her head to the left, as if she's listening to something? I think she's listening to something inside her head."

"You do realize, sir, that you're insinating the girl's crazy, right?"

His boss chuckled. "I meant something real. An alien, most likely."

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When Owen Harper, Toshiko Sato and Gwen Cooper arrived to work that day, they did not expect to be handed coffee. No, scratch that. They _did_ expect to be handed coffee, just not by the girl who'd come in yesterday. A bit baffled, they accepted the cups that was offered them at the entrance.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" Gwen asked, once she had sat down by her desk. Lydia shook her head. "No, I'm to awake. Besides, I'm wondering where I am, and it's no use sleeping if I want that answered."

"Jack didn't tell you?" said Tosh. Again the girl shook her head. "Well, love," their doctor said, "welcome to Torchwood."

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**Yeah, I know, lame ending, but I'm uninspired and needed to end the chapter some how. Hoping to get in some action next chapter! Feel free to give ideas.**

**Reviews: What authors feed from. Without it, they're dead and easy prey to real life outside fanfiction.**


	5. Weevils?

**I'm so extremely sorry! Can you forgive me? Late update, and the chapter isn't very long! I'm sowwy D:**

Before Lydia could ask just what Torchwood was, an obnouxisly loud noise went off. Lydia covered her ears with her hands, noting the headache slowly coming back. The others began moving about, Toshiko sitting by the computer, tapping away frantically, Captain Jack storming out of his office. They were talking, but Lydia could hardly hear a word that was said. She did make out a few words, but they just confused her even more. _Rift, _and _alien, _and _weevil_, and wasn't weevil a bug?

Someone had shut off the alarm, to Lydia's relief. But now everyone was walking towards the exit, obviously leaving.

"Where are you all going?" she asked, silently cursing herself for the slight hysterical edge to her voice. Jack turned, and smiled kindly at her. "You can't come, sweetheart. Stay here with Ianto, all right?"

He didn't give her time to answer before he was gone with the others.

Once Ianto was sure the rest of his team didn't need him for a while, he went and sat down on the couch with Lydia, who had seated herself there after the others had gone. She sat with her knees drawn up to her face, resting her chin at them. Her eyes where vacant, as if being in her own world, not aware of the surroundings.

Once Ianto sat, she startled, looking like he had just woken her up from a dream.

"Who were you talking to?" Ianto bluntly asked. He had often found that in some cases it's best to take the bull by the horns, and not dancing around with small talk.

Lydia looked surprised and a little bit scared, but answered none the less. "A voice. In my head. I'm not crazy," she hastily added, "there's really someone else in my head."

"I believe you," Ianto reassured her. And he did, he just wasn't so certain of her sanity. But he worked in Torchwood, stranger things than someone occupying someone else's mind had happened. "What's their name?"

"I don't know... "

"Do you trust them?"

"Him. And yes, I do." At the archivists questioning stare, she continued, "he helped me. He cheered me up when I was down, and helped me escape." Again the girl's eyes went vacant, and she shuddered. Ianto laid a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it.

"Jack did tell me about your... past." Just when Lydia opened her mouth to say something, Gwen's voice came through the comm.

"Ianto! Those aliens aren't weevils! And they've taken hostages!" At once Ianto got up and sat by the computers.

"Didn't you bring the translator?"

"Didn't think we'd need one, we thought they were just weevils!"

The archivist rummaged through a bunch of alien stuff that had come through the Rift over the years. Finally he pulled out a device that looked like an overgrown gameboy.

"Ok, I've got it here. Try repeat what they're saying." The ex-cop said some syllabyles that sounded like hissing, then she started chitting. It took a while before the translator recognized the language, but soon text appeared at the screen.

"They say they're Hooxa'ganz, and they've come to collect a runaway. I think they're some sort of police. How do they look?"

"They're humanoid, and wearing some kind of alienized 19th century armour. With guns," Owen's voice said.

"Hooxa'ganz can live on as a consciousness even if they're killed, as long as they find a host. The runaway they're looking after could be anyone!" Jack said. "Did they mention a name?"

"Yes," Ianto answered, "Shisgòne. Male, apparently." A moaning behind him made the tea boy turn, looking at the girl clutching her head. "He's screaming! It's so loud! He says we have to get out of here, or we'll die! They'll kill him!"

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**Not quite sure about this chapter...**


	6. Shut up!

Ianto walked up to the girl, reaching out an arm to try and calm her down, but she instantly flinched away from his touch. When Ianto tried again, she jumped to her feet and began running towards the cog door.

"Lydia!" Ianto shouted after her. "Come back! If they want to harm you, you'll be safer here!" But it was no use. The girl had fleed out the door, and by the looks of it, she wasn't coming back.

"Ianto?" Gwen's worried voice came over the comm. "Was that Lydia screaming? Is he okay?"

"Yes, no, she... fled. She said that 'we' had to get out of here, or 'we'd' die. They'd kill him, she said. Jack?"

"Yes, Ianto?"

"I think you were right about there being aliens in her mind. And I think he's the one the hooxa'ganz are looking for."

* * *

Lydia couldn't stand it anymore. He kept shouting, kept screaming for her to help, save him, hide him, _anything, _just don't let him be killed. Tears streamed down her face as she ran over the Plass. The voice in her head, always so calm, was panicking. Loudly.

When she reached the streets, she ran down an ally and promptly sat down where the shadows were darkest. She pulled her knees up, resting her forehead at them, and grabbed her hair at an attempt to calm herself down.

_You cannot stop here! Run, onwards, they will get us, RUN!_ the voice in her head shouted.

"Shut up! Shut up, shut up shut up!" Hands on her head, she began pounding at it. It hurt, but it did help. Lydia didn't know if it was the punding or the shouting, but the voice quieted down.

The girl wiped her eyes, ignoring curious looks from people bustling past. For a while she sat there in the alleyway, sobbing silently, trying to will the tears that insisted on appearing away. Then she got up, and walked out with her back straight. She had some money in her pockets which she had stolen from Michelangelo. She took them out, counting them. _10 pounds... can't get far on that, but enough for some food._

Lydia walked until she found a decent looking, but not too expensive cafè. It was late when her order arrived (hot chocolate and a chicken sandwich), and while eating she thought about the upcoming night. It was cold outside, colder than when she'd first run, and she needed a place to sleep.

After the little meal, she lingered for as long as possible, before she got chased out due to closing time. For a while she roamed the streets, trying to keep moving so as not to get too cold. After walking for more than three hours, she broke down. _I can't do this!_

Her head was completely silent. It was frustrating. She'd had his voice in her head for so long, she'd gotten so used to him!

_Lydia..._

Her head shot up. _Yes...?_

_Go back. You went pass an old abandoned warehouse just down the road._

Lydia shook her head. So typical him! Not apologizing, but coming back when she needed him none the less. But she did smile. She had her guide back.

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**Lydia is completely (excuse the language) fucked up, but that's how it goes when you're abused over a long period of time and someone finally shows up to help you, even though they're only in your head.**

**Remember! Reviews are love. I love you for alerting my stories, but I'd love to read what you think as well! And PS: The poll on my profile will be closed by the end of the week. So vote!**


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